In sickness and in health
by TrekkieGirl10
Summary: 10k is sick, the others help him through it-warning VOMIT
1. Chapter 1

Doc's POV

I watched the kid struggle up the hill, panting slightly, stifling sneeze after sneeze. I knew that he was sick, he knew that he was sick, Murphy, Warren, Cassandra, Mack, and Addy remained oblivious. I wanted to ask for a break, say that I had a bad hip or something and give 10k an excuse to rest, but Warren would just dismiss it and continue. It was almost sundown, I would ask then.

10k's POV

I sneezed quietly, turning away so that the others wouldn't see, I didn't want to inconvenience them, no matter how crappy I felt. Doc seemed to be noticing though, he shot a concerned glance at me when he thought that I wasn't looking. Suddenly, I heard a rustle from a thicket of bushes nearby, I turned and brandished my knife, suddenly, a wave of dizziness and nausea hit me, just as a rabbit scuttled out of the brush. _Don't puke_, I told myself. I swallowed hard and turned back to the path, eyes focused on the woods and brain focused on not heaving my guts out in front of the group. I continued to walk and we made it about six more miles before Warren finally found somewhere to set up camp for the night. "I'll be right back," I mumbled before walking into the woods casually. I walked into a small clearing before my stomach betrayed me. I used a tree to support myself and wiped my mouth when I was done, then walked back to the camp and set up my tent. I still felt sick, but my stomach had calmed down a bit and I felt fairly confident that I would not repeat the events that had transpired a couple of minutes before.

Doc's POV

I watched the kid scurry off into the woods and though I didn't follow him I had a guess as to what had occured. He came back about five minutes later and, rather shakily, began to set up his tent. He didn't even have supper before he crawled in and fell asleep.

Warren's POV

1:00 AM

I was awoken by the sound of a loud hacking cough, I unzipped my tent and saw that it was coming from 10k's tent. I saw him push open the flap and, still oblivious to me, stumble a few feet and vomit, using a tree for support. He sucked in a few shuddering breaths and turned to return to his tent, nearly running into me. "Hey," he murmured, trying to push past me. I grabbed his shoulder gently and said,"if you're not feeling well we can stay here another day,"

"I'm fine, it was probably just something that I ate," he said, almost whispering.

"You haven't eaten anything today or yesterday," Warren said quietly, the lanky teen shifted, looking unsure, "one day won't matter too much," I reminded him gently.

He glanced around and mumbled a quick, "Thanks," before retiring to his tent again. I looked at the closed flap for a while before returning to my own tent, wriggling into my sleeping bag and falling asleep.

10k's POV

I woke up and checked my watch, groaning when I realized that it was already 7:00 AM, I had slept in. Then, I remembered my brief conversation with Warren the night before. I was mortified, but grateful that she had offered to delay the trip for a bit. I felt awful, the smell of the cheap coffee that Doc had found at a gas station a couple hundred miles back made my stomach roil. I got up and, ignoring the rest of the team, exited the tent and walked briskly into the woods. _This is getting old, _I thought as I retched painfully once again, only bile coming up, _I need to get rid of this stupid bug. _

Doc's POV

I watched the kid once again speed walk into the woods. I felt bad for him, the poor guy was going through enough without getting the flu too, unfortunately, the medicine had all been used on Cassandra's leg infection. I sighed and took a sip of my coffee, there was nothing that we could do but wait for it to pass. _This is depressing, _I thought, and instead focused my attention on the heated conversation between Warren and Murphy.

Warren's POV

"Tell me again why we don't just leave him? He'll catch up eventually!"

"Because, he needs us, we stick together, and, we wouldn't have made it half this far without 10!" I shouted, frustrated.

"Fine," agreed Murphy reluctantly, "but we're not staying for another day!"

"We will stay as long as we need to," I hiss cooly, venom dripping from my tone.

"Fine, Jesus, don't have to be like that about it..." Murphy trailed off and wandered away, he'd down. I could have that effect on people when I wanted to.


	2. Addy's POV

Addy's POV

I had heard from Doc that 10k was sick, and I was concerned, but I still felt as though we should be moving. To take my mind off of things, I decided to go for a walk with Mack. We walked in silence for a while before Mack spoke. "Do you think he's okay? 10k, I mean? He doesn't exactly give in easily..."

"I'm sure he's fi-" I was cut off by a rustling sound a few feet away. I raised my beloved z-whacker and took a cautious step forward. I charged into what seemed to be a small clearing, where I found no Zs, just a very pale and sweaty sleeping 10 thousand. I lowered my weapon and gave Mack the okay. I had never seen 10k look so vulnerable and pitiful before. He was curled up and shivering despite the fact that he was sweating and it had be at least 80 degrees outside. Maybe it was a good idea to stay in one place for a while...


	3. Rising action

10k's POV

I felt like s***, (A/N sorry, I don't like to swear) I was freezing cold, sweating, vomiting every couple of hours, and my head was pounding. For the most part, I spent time in my tent, save for the occasional bathroom or puke break. I could tell that the rest of the group was worried about me, (except for Murphy, of course) and I hated it. If there is one thing that ticks me off it's pity. Of course, if it were one of them, I would be worried too, I guess I'm pretty sick. My thought were interrupted by a familiar sensation in my gut, _here we go again, _I thought. I got up and walked into the forest. I walked to the clearing that I had accidentally slept for most of yesterday in before I vomited. When I was done I opened my eyes and realized that. The substance that I had wiped from my lip was not puke, but blood. "F***," I whispered to myself. I straightened and was overcome by a wave of crippling dizziness. The ground rushing up to meet my face was the last thing that I saw before the world went black.

Doc's POV

I looked toward the forest again, it had been almost 20 minutes since 10 had entered and I was getting worried. He was almost always out in five or ten minutes. He looked around at the others and decided that it was better to be safe than sorry. I pushed up from the log I had chosen as a seat and set off toward the woods. I walked about 3 meters and came to a small clearing. I gasped as my eyes caught on a thin unconscious figure lying in the dirt. I knelt next to him and gasped again upon seeing a trickle of blood running down his chin. I looked around for a moment before my I saw a puddle of blood and vomit about two feet away. "D***" I whispered. I may just be an amateur Pharmacologist...but vomiting blood is never a good sign.

A/N DUN DUN DUUUUUNNN... cliffhanger! I will probably update tomorrow if not today though...I suck at waiting...


	4. Recovery

Warren's POV

I had just had some success at lighting the fire when Doc came running out of the woods, panting. "Hey! Hey Warren! I need your help!" He gasped, coming to a stop, " the kid passed out in the woods and I think that he puked blood, we need to get him back here!" I set down my sticks for the fire and hopped up, following Doc into the woods. We stopped at a small clearing where I spotted 10k on the ground near a puddle of bloody vomit. He was shivering in his sleep despite the intense heat. I ran over and helped Doc pick him up, he weighed very little, so it was easy. Together we carried him back to the camp and I set him in his tent. Doc went to make a cold compress with a dish rag while I set 10 thousand down and propped him up with a rolled up sleeping bag. "Thermometer," I muttered to myself. Thank god we had found one at a drug store a while back and picked it up for Cassandra. I pulled it out of my satchel and gently pried the kid's mouth open enough to insert the thin rod. Two minutes later it beeped and I gasped at the display;105.3 I knew that there was risk of permanent brain damage if it got any higher. Just then Doc entered with the cold compress. I took it from his outstretched hand and pressed it to 10k's forehead.

Doc's POV

I looked at the kid's pale sweaty face, concerned. Suddenly, he stirred, his lips moved and I moved in closer to his face to head what he was saying. "What happened?" He croaked, barely audible. "You passed out kid, had us all worried," I replied, resting a hand on his forehead, it wasn't as hot as had been before but it was still warm. "How long was I out?" He asked quietly.

"About..." I look at my watch quickly..."six hours" He sighed and lay back on the sleeping bag. "How do you feel?" Asked Warren, who had snuck in quietly.

"Better," he replied simply, propping himself up on his elbow and resting his chin on his hand. "Good," she luck he would be better soon.


	5. The Lesson In Illness

10k's POV

I wasn't lying when I said that I felt better, but I didn't feel very good. The vomiting had stopped, thank The Lord, but a headache still pounded on my temples. The worst part though, was staying in bed. Doc and Warren were ridiculously overprotective and wouldn't let me out except to use the restroom. Also, it gives me a sense of déjàvú to be cared for like this, it reminds me of my father. Maybe god is telling me that this is my new family. I decided to interpret that as a sign. This is my family now.


End file.
